Summary
Individual Neutral Athletes at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics were allowed to attend the closing ceremony, although they were excluded from the opening ceremony. These athletes, from countries banned due to political issues like Russia and Belarus, compete without national flags or symbols.
Key Facts
- Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) were not present at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony but can attend the closing ceremony.
- AIN athletes compete without national colors or flags and are not on the official medal table.
- Nikita Filippov from Russia won a silver medal in men's ski mountaineering as an AIN.
- No AIN athlete has won a gold medal, which would trigger the Olympic anthem and flag instead of a national one.
- The IOC has not lifted the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their national flags.
- Ten Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete in the upcoming Milan-Cortina Paralympics under their national flags.
- Ukraine's Paralympic athletes plan to boycott the opening ceremony due to Russian and Belarusian participation.
- IOC President Kirsty Coventry did not comment on the IPC's decision regarding Russian and Belarusian participation.
